# CBID- A Noob's Guide



## jhedrick83 (Dec 4, 2012)

So I've seen a few threads and posts bashing CBID lately (sometimes with very valid points) and I thought I would share my strategy to help the CBID noobs out a bit. First of all, CBID, like everything else, has its pros and cons so take some of what you see with grain of salt and this is just my strategy, might not be the best ever, but it works very well for me!

Before I get into procedure, if you are only looking for Hard To Find (HTF) sticks, CBID probably isn't your site. Having said that, you can find good deals on some of the harder to find Cigars. For example, I have won a box of EP Carrillo Limited Editions for $88, and most recently a box of Undercrown Corona Dobles for $136. So don't totally ignore it.

1. Make a list of cigars you are looking for or know you like.

2. Visit Holts, Famous, Cigars International, etc. to get a baseline price for these cigars. Write it down!

3. When you bid, the baseline prices you wrote down minus $5 is your highest price you should pay. The prices do not include shipping. I always count the full shipping charge as I never know if I will buy more that week or not.

4. When you get on CBID, there are only 2 pages worth checking each day-Free Fall and Closing Today.

5. For Free Fall, if you see a cigar you like, watch the price cycle for at least (Or more) 5 cycles pay attention to what price it seems to bottom out at. That price is your target (plus or minus $.25), don't get antsy and pay more! If it keeps resetting before reaching that bottom price, be patient, it may take several cycles, but it will reach it again.

6. When you go to the Closing Today page, use the "Add to Watchlist" feature, before 8 p.m. Eastern, scroll through the page and add whatever might interest you to your watchlist. Auctions start closing about 8 p.m. make note of the times the auctions you are interested in close.

7. Don't bid yet! Don't come back until about 30 min from closing time on the auctions. If the auction price is above your limit (#3 ) then it is dead to you, move on. If the prices are in the range described above (#3 ), wait until there is about a minute left in the auction. Enter your bid with your maximum bid (again #3 ) and forget it. If you miss out, so be it, pride and impatience will cost you $. Remember, they will still be selling cigars tomorrow...

8. Use weekly shipping! It can save you a fair deal of money. Also, it is alot easier for your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend (PC enough for ya?!) to accept 1 package a week than a package every day. ound:ound:ound:

I hope some of you BOTLs/SOTLs find this helpful.


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## teamgotoil (Apr 23, 2013)

Good info! Thanks! I just started looking at cbids yesterday and was trying to figure out a plan of attack!


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## jhedrick83 (Dec 4, 2012)

Since I found it last year, on non HTFs, I've saved 37% off of what CI charges.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

I find the way to get the best price is when there is more than one lot being offered and you must be the first bidder. Place a max price.

The advantage is that when you have a last minute scalper come along with 15 seconds left he will scalp the guys that came in AFTER you. Since you were first in line you'll be the last to get bumped.The disadvantage of being the last minute scalper is you will always pay the highest price using this method. 

I watch for the cigars that I'm interested in the day before. Look at the preview and the time when it opens and get your bid in first. Again, this only works if there is more than one lot being offered but I've gotten the best prices this way.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

For example....

*1. AC of Oakland, CA
1 unit, 17 hours ago	$22.00/ea

2. PW of Lenexa, KS
1 unit, 6 hours ago	$25.00/ea

3. TM of Lumberton, NJ
1 unit, 5 hours ago	$25.00/ea*

Ac of Oakland has the best chance of not getting bumped and the best chance of getting the best price since he got in 17 hours ago vs. the other bidders.


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## jhedrick83 (Dec 4, 2012)

Gdaddy said:


> For example....
> 
> *1. AC of Oakland, CA
> 1 unit, 17 hours ago	$22.00/ea
> ...


^^^Excellent point too, forgot about that.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

My wallet hates you........ :boom:


But excellent guide.


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## jhedrick83 (Dec 4, 2012)

edwardsdigital said:


> My wallet hates you........ :boom:
> 
> But excellent guide.


Thanks and welcome to the broke ass club!


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## BigsmokeJ (May 28, 2012)

I agree with jhedrick83, If I bid on cbid I look to see what is coming up and items that are selling multiples. I try and get my bid in once it opens so hopefully I outlast the others. 

Also when I search for pricing I use the cbid completed auctions listing. It shows what the cigars I'm looking to bid on have been sold for. I'd post the link but I don't have authority yet. If you do an internet search it comes up. I always bid using the best to great price as long as that is under what they sell for on CI, Famous, etc.

Also if you lose at that price don't worry the same cigars will be back in the next day or two. 

Good Luck


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

Here's the listing for closed auctions on C-bid to get a feel for pricing...

Cbid Completed Auctions


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## jhedrick83 (Dec 4, 2012)

Thanks Don, beat me to it.


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## mrl4889 (Nov 30, 2011)

Excellent guide to navigating the devil site and encouraging me to try out a new strategy.....as if I'm not on there enough. Only thing I do different is rule 7. I bid as early possible and set a "maximum bid" at my comfort level and let it ride from there. Sometimes you can save a few bucks versus jumping in late at the top of the price range. Also it takes away (for me at least) part of the "pride" factor of bidding, being outbid, being pissed off, and bidding again and again and again until I am "winning" and paying much more than I had wanted in the first place!!


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## Bruck (Jan 8, 2013)

Excellent primer, Jesse!

The only thing I would add, for those who don't buy cigars weekly (I usually buy a bunch every 6 weeks or so), is to pay attention to the closing dates and try to get multiple lots that all end by EOD Wednesday, to save a few bucks on shipping. + I like to combine orders with a co-worker to further save on shipping (inveterate cheapskate here, thank you very much).

Also, on the "free falls," the closing date is the date after which they'll ship (not necessarily the date you buy on), so be sure the closing date is in your "window."

& sometimes you just have to strike while the iron's hot. If there's an in-demand lot at a great price, the unknown supply of "while supplies last" may be depleted before the closing date.


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## jhedrick83 (Dec 4, 2012)

mrl4889 said:


> Excellent guide to navigating the devil site and encouraging me to try out a new strategy.....as if I'm not on there enough. Only thing I do different is rule 7. I bid as early possible and set a "maximum bid" at my comfort level and let it ride from there. Sometimes you can save a few bucks versus jumping in late at the top of the price range. Also it takes away (for me at least) part of the "pride" factor of bidding, being outbid, being pissed off, and bidding again and again and again until I am "winning" and paying much more than I had wanted in the first place!!


Thanks, my thinking behind #7 is that if I bid early and set a max, then that makes 1 more person driving the price up. For example, if was bidding on a box of Diesels and my max bid would be $85 (you can get them as low as $75 on Free Fall Frequently, just go with the example), if I enter that early on I run the risk of the other bidders running it up quickly in an effort to the be top bidder since the Max bid will auto bid for you up to your limit. If I wait until the last minute, there will have been less action on the listing and the price at the end may be lower.

At least it makes sense to me in my head. Again, I'm not saying my way is the best, just wanting to explain it all to try an inform the uninformed and give them more info to use CBID the way they see best.


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## jhedrick83 (Dec 4, 2012)

Bruck said:


> Excellent primer, Jesse!
> 
> The only thing I would add, for those who don't buy cigars weekly (I usually buy a bunch every 6 weeks or so), is to pay attention to the closing dates and try to get multiple lots that all end by EOD Wednesday, to save a few bucks on shipping. + I like to combine orders with a co-worker to further save on shipping (inveterate cheapskate here, thank you very much).
> 
> ...


Also excellent advice Bruce! Nothing wrong with being a cheapskate, I am one myself, hence the effort put into the CBID strategy! I would say the money I have saved on cigars was useful elsewhere in life, but I spent it on more cigars...:frusty:


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

jhedrick83 said:


> Thanks, my thinking behind #7 is that if I bid early and set a max, then that makes 1 more person driving the price up. For example, if was bidding on a box of Diesels and my max bid would be $85 (you can get them as low as $75 on Free Fall Frequently, just go with the example), if I enter that early on I run the risk of the other bidders running it up quickly in an effort to the be top bidder since the Max bid will auto bid for you up to your limit. If I wait until the last minute, there will have been less action on the listing and the price at the end may be lower.
> 
> At least it makes sense to me in my head. Again, I'm not saying my way is the best, just wanting to explain it all to try an inform the uninformed and give them more info to use CBID the way they see best.


If, when the bidding first opens, the price is very low you're not driving the price higher. You're just the first one in the pool. Sometimes the price does rise too high so you let it go. Try again another day. When you bid last did you ever look at the guys in front of you with the better prices? That's where you want to be.


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## jhedrick83 (Dec 4, 2012)

Gdaddy said:


> If, when the bidding first opens, the price is very low you're not driving the price higher. You're just the first one in the pool. Sometimes the price does rise too high so you let it go. Try again another day. When you bid last did you ever look at the guys in front of you with the better prices? That's where you want to be.


Right, assuming there is more than 1 lot.


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## mrl4889 (Nov 30, 2011)

Gdaddy said:


> If, when the bidding first opens, the price is very low you're not driving the price higher. You're just the first one in the pool. Sometimes the price does rise too high so you let it go. Try again another day. When you bid last did you ever look at the guys in front of you with the better prices? That's where you want to be.


Exactly! The more lots up for grabs the better with this strategy. More to your point Jesse, with single lot auctions the last minute bid is probably the way to go. I've been doing it on Ebay for years.....one day this Type-A thing is going to get me in trouble.....hwell:


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## Livin' Legend (Sep 23, 2012)

Good advice. I've learned that the different types of auctions (i.e. single vs multiple quantities) require different strategies for successful bidding. I'm not above scalping at the last minute, and anyone who doesn't like it be damned, but there are times when that works against you (the first one in the pool analogy), so one must be wise.

Of course, if I were wise, I probably wouldn't have just thrown $100 into the fiery pit that is the Devil Site. A good deal is a good deal, but $100 is still $100 (at least in the short term) 

I think I did pretty well. Picked up some new sticks to try and some merchandise I've been needing, like bulk matches and one of those nice leather stick holders.

As for sticks, I picked up a couple of RB Genesis I've been wanting to try, admittedly ended up close to retail price, but I wanted two, not five or a box, so that's fine.

Also snagged an Augusto Reyes Super Sampler, 16 sticks for $13, priced at $35 on CI

Five tins of La Aurora Finos Minis (can't help it, I love those little guys) for $25, which isn't a huge savings but I'm satisfied with that deal, with the weekly shipping anyway.

Five pack of Imperiales Maduro Toro for $5 (priced $13.50 on CI)

I do have to face my shame when I jumped the gun on 25 Magellan Dominican Coronas--ended up paying 5 cents more per stick than I should have. The Devil made me do it!

I'm still in that wonderful stage of smoking where I don't care what I get so long as it's a good deal, and every new stick is a potential treasure, and spread across the board, I saved money and I'll be close to filling my wineador with things I like and things I'm curious about.

And now the cigar smoker's misery: Wait for the UPS man, then wait for the sticks to rest.


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## Livin' Legend (Sep 23, 2012)

Oh, and for some practical advice on the site, I feel like this should be rule number 1:

Any auctions with Liga Privada anything, or any HTF for that matter should be shunned like an Amish with Tourette's Syndrome. They invariably are driven up to insanely high prices.

Case in point: Liga Privada No. 9 by Drew Estate Double Corona (Single) (#1473240) - CigarBid.com


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## OldSkoolTarHeel (Nov 28, 2012)

Gdaddy said:


> For example....
> 
> *1. AC of Oakland, CA
> 1 unit, 17 hours ago	$22.00/ea
> ...


Actually, AC of Oakland will be the first to get knocked out of the running. If it looked like this:

1. AC of Oakland, CA
1 unit, 17 hours ago	$25.00/ea

2. PW of Lenexa, KS
1 unit, 6 hours ago	$25.00/ea

3. TM of Lumberton, NJ
1 unit, 5 hours ago	$25.00/ea

then AC of Oakland would have the best chance. But I agree with the concept.


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## horton21 (Aug 9, 2012)

OldSkoolTarHeel said:


> Actually, AC of Oakland will be the first to get knocked out of the running. If it looked like this:
> 
> 1. AC of Oakland, CA
> 1 unit, 17 hours ago	$25.00/ea
> ...


This is my understanding as well - lower bid amounts get bumped first, but where the bids are equal dollar amounts the "older" bid is bumped last.


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## RayJax (Mar 13, 2012)

I really like the write up, pretty useful for new peeps!

I really like the advice in number 7! Often times people really get caught up "needing" to win an auction once they place a bid.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

You gotta know when to hold'em and know when to fold 'em. There'll be time for smok'in when the bidding's done.


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## Wicked_Rhube (Jul 29, 2012)

mrl4889 said:


> Excellent guide to navigating the devil site and encouraging me to try out a new strategy.....as if I'm not on there enough. Only thing I do different is rule 7. I bid as early possible and set a "maximum bid" at my comfort level and let it ride from there. Sometimes you can save a few bucks versus jumping in late at the top of the price range. Also it takes away (for me at least) part of the "pride" factor of bidding, being outbid, being pissed off, and bidding again and again and again until I am "winning" and paying much more than I had wanted in the first place!!


I agree with this. I bid early and set my max, and then I forget about it. If I win great, if not there will be infinite more chances.


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## teamgotoil (Apr 23, 2013)

Just scored a 10 pack of Obsidian for $20.10 on cbid.


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## arkiesmoker (Sep 20, 2008)

9. Never go by the pic. Always check the text to make sure you know what you're bidding on. I've seen what appears to be quite a few people make an outrageous bid due to the fact they didn't know the quantity of the product they were bidding on. They thought they were bidding on a box when they were only bidding on a fiver.


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## Low Down (May 28, 2013)

Very good info, thanks!


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## Laptime61 (Mar 12, 2014)

Great info, if you have ever bid on ebay it almost follows the same lines, with a few exceptions.


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## Keeper01 (Mar 1, 2014)

Great write up. I've had the process explained to me, but that clarified it even more.


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## SOHResident (Mar 5, 2014)

Wicked_Rhube said:


> ......and then I forget about it. If I win great, if not there will be infinite more chances.


This is my personal Rule #1 for Cbid or any other auction site.


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## Erphern (Jan 28, 2014)

Great info, thanks!


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## JustTroItIn (Jan 12, 2014)

One thing I found out recently is if you purchase something on a Quickbuy, even though you are guaranteed the win for that item, it still will not count as completed until the auction closes. This is important if you are trying to add on a something to maximize shipping. If the auction closes after your standard weekly shipping date, it will count toward the next week.


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## thechasm442 (Jan 21, 2014)

I used to get stupid on cbid early on, paying only a few dollars less than MSRP on HTF's, sometimes even more. I just use cbid now to get lower end cigars that seem to fly under the radar despite being pretty good. My strategy will be to find something that I like starting at $1-$2, and bid on the entire lot, while setting my maximum bid at only $1 higher. Sometimes I lose and sometimes I win good cigars for rock bottom prices.

I will admit to playing the game with changing shipping times. It's amazing how auctions pop up and your Tuesday shipment becomes Thursday, and than the following Tuesday.


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## JustTroItIn (Jan 12, 2014)

thechasm442 said:


> I will admit to playing the game with changing shipping times. It's amazing how auctions pop up and your Tuesday shipment becomes Thursday, and than the following Tuesday.


I tried that but it didn't work for me. They still shipped on the day my shipping time was set for at the time I won the auction.


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## SOHResident (Mar 5, 2014)

thechasm442 said:


> ........ I will admit to playing the game with changing shipping times. It's amazing how auctions pop up and your Tuesday shipment becomes Thursday, and than the following Tuesday.


Guilty as charged...


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## ProjectSunfire (Mar 30, 2011)

Excellent guide. well done! One thing I would like to add is to remember that the same items come up at least once a week on the average. so if you either miss out or get outbid on something you really want...just have some patience because it will be back on the site in a few days. I have won boxes for under $25 which CI is selling all day for $100+. The key is to wait in the shadows until time almost expires...then ninja on that lot you want

the big names (Liga, Opus, Padron, Cohiba, etc) almost never end very much under retail prices. And as pointed out...often end over retail, which just baffles me lol.


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## jhedrick83 (Dec 4, 2012)

Thanks. Very true, it seems like everyone needs to remember from time to time that companies will still be making/selling cigars tomorrow, just like today.


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